[BURPEE] LAKE OF THE WOODS TRAGEDY 27 



A translation of Mr. Belcourt^s narrative will be found in the 

 Minnesota Historical Collections. It is as follows: — 



" A tradition of the savages near the Lake of the Woods reports 

 that the French travellers in passing were invariably accompanied by a 

 missionary; and that one of them was killed on this same lake, and his 

 companions all either killed or drowned. The following is the manner 

 in which they relate this occurrence: Early one morning, a French 

 canoe manned with eight men left a trading house which the French 

 had built about the middle of the Lake of the Woods, and stopped upon 

 an island near to the last pass, to enter the river of Rainy Lake. The 

 atmosphere was so still that the wind could hardly be felt. Having 

 built a fire to take their repast, the smoke rose up and was perceived 

 by a party of Sioux warriors who were approaching the same island by 

 a branch of the river of Rainy Lake called the Road of ^Yar. These 

 having landed on the opposite side of the isle uuperceived by the 

 French, fell upon them unawares and massacred the missionary and 

 some of his companions; the others throwing themselves into the water 

 in order to cross over to some other islands were drowned. This event 

 took place, according to the report of the savages, about the year 1750."^ 



In a long memoir, written at Quebec, and dated 31st October 

 1744,^ Lavérendrye once more refers to the Lake of the Woods 

 tragedy, and this is the last bit of evidence which I have been able to 

 gather : — 



" I had many people in the fort and no provisions, and this deter- 

 mined me to send at once three canoes to bring us supplies and 

 merchandise. The Reverend Father decided, on the spot, to go to 

 Missilimakinak. He asked for my eldest son, as he hoped that his 

 journey would be quick. It was not possible for me to oppose him. 

 His resolution was absolutely taken. They embarked the 8th June, and 

 were all massacred by the Sioux^ seven leagues from the fort, by the 



Martin confuses Vérandrye's general expedition to the west with the parti- 

 cular journey on which the tragedy occurred at the Lake of tTie Woods. 

 This particular joiurney was not in any sense exploratory. It was simply 

 an expedition to Kamanistigoiiia and Missilimakinac for supplies. It was 

 not commanded by Vérandrye the elder, who did not accompany it at all. 

 The gra-phic account of the massacre which follows would be extremely 

 valuable and interesting if it were based upon a more substantial foundation. 

 The remaining particulars are more probably correct. 



^ " Deipartment of Hudson's Bay," by Rev. G. A. Belcourt. Minnesota 

 HistOTical Collections, Vol. II., 1850-1856, p. 212. 



''■ " Mémoire du Sieur de la Verendrye au sujet des Etablissements pour 

 parvenir à la découverte de la mer de l'ouest, dont il a été chargé par 

 M. le marquis de Beauharnois, Gouverneur général de la Nouvelle-France 

 en 1731." This documenlt is published in Margry's Collection. It is also in 

 the Canadian Archives. 



